Disaster Preparation and Response: How to Help FAQ For ACNM Members

Midwives
stand with women and newborns, and ACNM and its state affiliates stand with
midwives. We all stand together as millions of people are affected by Hurricane
Harvey, Hurricane Irma, and Hurricane Maria.

Here's how you can help:

Persons wishing to make tax deductible contributions to the relief effort are encouraged to support a major relief agency of your choice such as the American Red Cross, or another group recognized by the Charity Navigator. Be aware: major relief efforts also spur fraud.

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands:

Donate OB & NICU supplies to Hospital Metropolitano San Germán. Email Pam Young at [email protected] for drop-off information in the LA, Phoenix, and Miami areas. Not in these areas? Consider donating to Delivering Good & B Strong.

Florida:

With
the concurrence of the midwife co-chairs of the ACNM Disaster Preparedness and
Response Caucus, the following items are needed
most (in alpha order):

baby wipes

batteries

battery operated fans

blankets

bleach

cleaning wipes

contractor garbage bags

diapers

dust masks

empty gas cans

gloves for cleaning

inflatable beds

nuts or dried fruit

personal hygiene wipes

pillows

and water purification tablets (like for
camping)

Please do not send cash and do not send medicines or
pharmaceutical products of any kind.

Previous Updates:

ACNM has been in contact with our affiliate leaders in the path of Hurricane Irma and Co-chair of ACNM Disaster Preparation and Response Caucus, Robbie Prepas, CNM. They advise midwives to first prepare and take care of themselves and their families. If evacuating, midwives should seek official community shelters for emergency housing and supplies, and bring their prescription medications with them.

They also advise being familiar with your state and community disaster preparedness plans. Below is a resource library to provide Disaster Preparedness and Response information for those affected, and those seeking to help. We encourage saving these resources to your mobile phone and printing for on-the-go accessibility during loss of power.

ACNM has been in contact with our Texas and Louisiana affiliate leaderships.
They report that midwives are safe though some have evacuated and had profound
losses. They also report that midwives are collaborating extensively in the
community of women's healthcare professionals, first responders, birth centers and
hospitals to meet women's needs.

Our Texas leadership and Karen Hays, CNM, DNP, ARNP, co-chair of our ACNM Disaster Preparedness and
Response Caucus, report that the Texas Board of Nursing has established
procedures for recognizing out-of-state midwives and other health care
professionals called in to Texas to serve. The information is available at www.bon.texas.gov/hurricaneharvey.asp. The Board of Nursing is not seeking undirected, unassigned volunteers
at this time. At this time, similar information has not been provided by the
state of Louisiana.

Now, midwives in the state are working with Emergency Operations Management to collect and distribute supplies that women and newborns need in the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Irma. Midwives can help by supplying approved items from the list above.

ACNM will update this post periodically as events and more information come available. To send a message of encouragement to your member colleagues, use ACNM's Facebook or Twitter feeds and the hashtag #Midwives.